Trainz Service Pack 8
We're pleased to announce that Service Pack 8 (SP8) will be available very soon for Trainz Railroad Simulator 2022 owners and Trainz Plus members.
This update introduces a range of rendering improvements, new graphics technologies, performance optimisations, content creation capabilities and quality-of-life improvements.
Below is an overview of the major features and improvements included in SP8.
DirectX 12 (Beta)
Available to Trainz Plus members
SP8 introduces support for DirectX 12, providing a modern rendering foundation for Trainz and enabling access to new graphics technologies.
Trainz Plus members with compatible Windows systems will be able to select DirectX 12 (Beta) directly from their Trainz Settings.
Alongside DirectX 12, we're introducing support for two image upscaling technologies:
NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling)
AMD FSR 2 (FidelityFX Super Resolution)
These technologies provide additional options for balancing rendering performance and image quality, allowing users to select settings that best suit their hardware.
As DirectX 12 is being introduced as a beta feature, performance and compatibility may vary depending on your hardware and the content being used. DirectX 11 will remain available, allowing users to switch between rendering options.
Please note that TurfFX is not supported when using DirectX 12.
HDRI Skyboxes
Available to Trainz Plus members
SP8 introduces support for HDRI Skyboxes, allowing content creators to use high-resolution, high-dynamic-range panoramic imagery to create more realistic skies.
HDRI Skyboxes use static imagery with limited adaptation to weather and sun conditions. Features captured within the image, such as clouds, remain fixed.
The existing dynamic sky system remains supported, giving route creators the choice between HDRI and dynamic skyboxes.
HDRI Skyboxes work in both DX11 and DX12.
A content package is available to download for those who would like to experience the new HDRI Skyboxes. To get started, open the Trainz Launcher, click on Content Store and search for "HDRi Skybox Package 1". Once installed, load your route in Surveyor, open the Environment Settings and select one of the new HDRI Skyboxes to see it in action.
Improved Lighting & Exposure
SP8 includes recalibrated environmental lighting and an improved time-of-day-based exposure system.
These changes improve the visual balance between daylight, twilight and night-time conditions, helping create more natural-looking environments throughout the day.
The updated exposure system also provides a foundation for the full Auto Exposure functionality planned for a future release.
Improved Imposter Rendering
Imposters play an important role in rendering large, detailed railway environments efficiently by using simplified visual representations of distant scenery objects.
SP8 introduces several improvements to our Imposter rendering technology, including:
Smoother transitions between detailed objects and their distant representations.
Reduced visual noise when viewing distant scenery.
Improved tree transitions and distant scenery brightness.
Improved visual consistency when zooming in and out.
These enhancements help create more visually consistent environments, particularly on routes containing large amounts of vegetation and scenery.
Improved Mesh Streaming
SP8 introduces improved streaming support for assets that use LM.txt-based level-of-detail meshes.
Previously, all levels of detail for these assets were loaded into memory, regardless of whether they were immediately required.
With the updated streaming system, Trainz can load individual levels of detail as needed, reducing initial mesh-loading requirements and overall memory consumption.
This is particularly beneficial for highly detailed assets that contain multiple levels of detail.
Apple Metal Optimisations
SP8 includes several optimisations to the Apple Metal renderer, designed to reduce CPU usage and improve rendering efficiency on macOS.
These improvements are part of our ongoing efforts to optimise the Trainz rendering engine across both Windows and Mac platforms.
Driver Improvements
SP8 also includes several improvements to the driving experience.
Resolved RailDriver Response
Analogue controls now continue responding after using the keyboard or mouse, without requiring an additional button press or lever movement to resynchronise the controller.
Updated Navigation Icons
Redesigned navigation-point icons provide a cleaner, more visually consistent appearance across session markers while driving.
Content Creation Improvements
With the introduction of Trainz-build 5.8, SP8 provides content creators with a number of new capabilities and improvements.
Configurable Locomotive Throttle Notches
Creators can now define throttle and dynamic-brake power curves based on a locomotive's configured throttle-notch count, rather than being restricted to the traditional eight-notch range.
The Driver interface has also been updated to accommodate configurable notch counts.
Improved Emissive Materials
Updated brightness scaling for self-illuminated materials provides a greater dynamic range when authoring assets such as locomotive headlights, signals, illuminated buildings and trackside lighting.
Existing assets retain compatibility with the previous implementation.
Creators updating their assets to Trainz-build 5.8 should review their emissive materials under both daytime and night-time lighting conditions.
Improved PBR Texture Compression
New compression techniques for correctly configured PBR parameter textures help preserve individual material channels, improving the representation of material properties.
Enhanced Asset Preview
Asset Preview now includes time-of-day and emissive-intensity controls, allowing creators to inspect their assets under a wider range of lighting conditions.
These controls make it easier to review and adjust the appearance of assets during daylight, twilight and night-time conditions.
Additional Content Creation Improvements
SP8 also includes improvements to:
Asset validation and mesh naming requirements.
Script compilation and diagnostics.
Script dependency resolution.
Content Manager status messages.
Numeric container validation.
Multiplayer Surveyor
As with previous updates, SP8 will be released simultaneously for TRS22 and Trainz Plus across all supported desktop platforms.
This ensures compatibility between users when accessing Multiplayer Surveyor (MPS), regardless of their platform or Trainz edition.
As MPS servers require users to be running the latest retail build, all Multiplayer Surveyor users will need to update to SP8 once it becomes available.
Service Pack 8 Availability
Service Pack 8 will be available to both Trainz Railroad Simulator 2022 owners and Trainz Plus members.
Selected features, including DirectX 12 (Beta), NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR 2 and HDRI Skyboxes, will be available exclusively to Trainz Plus members.
We'll provide further information once SP8 is available for download.
Thank you to everyone who has participated in beta testing and provided feedback throughout the development of this update.
The Trainz Team
